Over a decade ago, I was asked to put together a list of Rick Riordan Read Alikes. While those books are still great, since then books with the Percy Jackson-type recipe of modern-day kids find out they have close personal ties to mythology and proceed to have fast-paced, high-stakes adventures with plenty of humor have exploded. Here are a few of the books like this that I have read and enjoyed. Note that they do not include books from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, since these are guaranteed to appeal to his fans and are easy to find through the website. Meanwhile, get ready to explore the world through mythology! And if I’ve missed any of your favorites, please let me know in the comments.

Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom by Sangu Mandanna. Penguin Random House, 2021. Two-book series. Ebook and audiobook available on Libby.

Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young. Heartdrum, 2021. Two-book series. Ebook and audiobook available on Hoopla.

Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa by Julian Randall. Henry Holt, 2022. Two-book series. Audibook for books 1 and 2 and ebook for book 2 available on Libby. Ebook for book 1 available on Hoopla.

Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron. HMH Kids, 2020. Three-book series. Ebook and audiobook available on Hoopla.

Omega Morales and the Legend of La Lechuza by Laekan Zea Kemp. Little, Brown, 2022. Ebook and audiobook available on Libby. Audiobook available on Hoopla.

Kingdom over the Sea by Zohra Nabi. Margaret K. McElderry, 2023. Two-book series. Audiobooks available on Hoopla.

Tessa Miyata is No Hero by Julie Abe. Little, Brown and Company, 2023. Two-book series. Ebook and audiobook available on Libby.
Tessa is spending a summer in Japan with her grandparents and forced to hang out with their neighbor Jin, who’s made it clear that he doesn’t like her. But when they accidentally release a malicious samurai god, they’ll have to work together to stop him before all of Tokyo is trapped forever. 

Nox Winters and the Midnight Wolf by Rochelle Hassan. HarperCollins, 2024. Two-book series. Ebook and audiobook available on Libby.

Loki’s Wolves by Kelley Armstrong and M.A. Marr. Little, Brown and Company, 2013. Three-book series. Ebooks and audiobooks available on Libby; audiobooks available on Hoopla.
Matt Thorsen has grown up in South Dakota knowing he’s a direct descendant of Thor. But when Ragnarok threatens, he might just have to make peace with Loki’s modern-day descendants to stop it. There’s plenty of time for funny moments despite the fast-paced adventure.

The Serpent’s Secret. Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond Book 1 by Sayantani DasGupta. Scholastic, 2018. Three-book series plus two spin-off series. Ebooks and audiobooks avaible on Libby and Hoopla, though specific distribution may vary.

Lei and the Fire Goddess by Malia Maunakea. Penguin Workshop, 2023
Anna Leilani – Lei to her grandmother – has felt torn between her white and Hawaiian heritage especially since she moved to Colorado. Now, spending the summer with her tūtū in Hawaii, she’s pretty sure that her grandmother’s stories aren’t literal. Then she picks a sacred flower and angers the volcano goddess Pele – never a good idea. Almost immediately, a giant bird flies by and kidnaps her best friend. Her quest to get him back includes a snarky talking bat, humor, and lots of very close shaves.

Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind by Misa Siguira. Labyrinth Road, 2023. Three-book series. Ebooks and audiobooks available on Libby.

Amira & Hamza: the War to Save the Worlds by Samira Ahmed. Little, Brown and Company, 2021. Two-book series.
Islamic legends, an ancient artifact, a genie, and a triply extraordinary blood and blue and supermoon combine as an aspiring astronomer and her rambunctious, accident-prone younger brother need to rush to save the world before a piece of the moon crashing into it.

Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf. HarperCollins, 2023. Ebook and audiobook available on Libby and Hoopla.